Avengers: Age of Ultron is nonsense. But it is glossy, well-packaged and star-studded nonsense. Following on from the defeat of Thor’s brother in the last film, the story revolves around Loki’s staff, an object of unspeakable power, which in a blitzkrieg of special effects is repatriated by the Avengers from a mountain fortress in a … Read more
In “Focus” Will Smith plays Nicky, a con artist from a long lineage of con artists, who takes under his wing the beautiful and talented pickpocket Jess (Margot Robbie): a great example of the sort of apprentice system that the UK Government is looking to encourage! Margot learns the more advanced tricks of the trade … Read more
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was a surprise hit in 2012, leveraging the “oldies” out of their armchairs and into the cinemas in droves: the film returned around 15 times its modest $10M budget. Now three years later comes the sequel – the amusingly titled “Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”, and its much of the … Read more
Last year’s “Pride” brilliantly demonstrated how far gay rights have come in the UK in 30 years. Selma does an equally superb job in showing how far racial equality has come in the US in 50 years.  The year is 1964 and racial tension is rife in the Southern states, with attacks and murders … Read more
Matthew Vaughn, who’s previous films in the director’s chair number just four – “Layer Cake”, “Stardust”, “Kick Ass” and “X-Men: First Class” – does not do subtle. But he certainly does do stylish and entertaining. Of this set of past works, Kingsman is probably most closely aligned to Kick Ass with its anarchic tone and … Read more